We slip out of our parent skins for a few hours and run away to remember who we are. Apart from the potty training and pull ups, we find each other again in the dark car, the one without the car seats. It’s still early for most, but late for us and we stifle yawns and race to make it to our date on time.
We have tickets in hand but so do many others and he drops me off to go and find a seat while he finds parking. The spots are few; I have to ask several to shift down so that there will be two spaces next to one another. “It’s so I can sit next to my husband,” I say.
My husband.
And I feel 20 again and flush and excited for him to find me in the crowd.
I guard the empty seat. I wait. My whole body waits for him. Many others would sit beside me if I let them. But I do not. I am so very married tonight.
His baseball cap rounds the corner and tilts backwards, searching. I stand, I wave, I glow. He climbs slowly, deliberately, toward me. Our knees touch in the dark, his bulk beside me is the opposite of me. He feels manly and solid and safe.
He holds onto my knee and I am twenty one again and anchored by his peace.
Tonight, for a few hours, I do not have to share him with jealous boys. I hoard his hands, his profile, his shoulders.
And I exhale. And find myself again.
17 Comments
January 24, 2010 at 6:59 pm
Well said. Very well said!
January 24, 2010 at 7:23 pm
This made me smile… and want a date night
Lovely!
January 27, 2010 at 8:41 am
Make like Nike, and just do it!
January 24, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Makes my heart smile that you had that moment with your man!
January 24, 2010 at 9:05 pm
Isn’t love an amazing thing? I love, love, love this post!
January 25, 2010 at 2:14 am
Ahhh…Date Night. (It does require capital letters.) Glad you had one.
Glad you shared with us.
Makes me want to call up the babysitter right away.
Hmm…maybe I will.
January 25, 2010 at 3:22 am
Love this Lisa-Jo!! Thanks for sharing feelings that feel so familiar!
January 25, 2010 at 9:06 am
We just had our date night this weekend too! It’d been almost two years since the last one. Moving to a new place and trying to find friends who we trust to babysit is a big task. You are so right, it’s about reconnecting as husband and wife, not mommy and daddy.
January 25, 2010 at 9:18 am
“I am so very married tonight.” What a lovely way to state that. It tugged at my heart, as did the idea of touching knees in the dark. I remember those moments too. I long for them. But I will rejoice with you in your happiness.
January 25, 2010 at 9:39 am
This is so so so good.
It makes me all hot in the face.
January 25, 2010 at 9:52 am
Viva la date night! Hope you all got to speak in complete sentences, too! Beautifully put, per usual.
January 25, 2010 at 11:38 am
LOVED this! Brought me back to the early years of dating in college and also reminded me that me and my honey need a date night~badly!
January 25, 2010 at 4:05 pm
I echo Amber – this post makes my hands start to sweat a little with anticipation. It’s always so rich to hear of women who still get all giggly-eyed with their husbands. I do.
January 27, 2010 at 8:36 am
Honestly, not nearly enough folks these days talk about how marriage can be “hot.” But I am totally just jumping on Amber’s bandwagon because she’s the one that started the “sweaty palms” trend. So go read some of her “love song” posts for sure!!
January 25, 2010 at 8:55 pm
My husband of 22 years and I have a weekend away without kids planned for Feb and I think I am anticipation it as much or more than our honeymoon.
January 27, 2010 at 12:31 am
I’m glad I’m not the only one who got a little sweaty reading this.
I had a grin on my face by the end, ’cause girl, I need a date night. Love your writing Lisa, you always put the best words to what so many hearts want to say. Keeps me coming back for more!
January 28, 2010 at 1:59 am
simply beautiful.